January 22, 2015, 13:09 UTC+3BEIJINGBeijing hopes that this step may help easing the current crisis in east Ukraine and will allow averting further escalation of the current situation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson says

“China hopes that this step may help easing the current crisis in east Ukraine and will allow averting further escalation of the current situation,” she said.

“China always welcomed and backed active effort taken by all parties concerned to promote a political settlement of Ukrainian crisis” including within Normandy and Minsk formats, the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson said.

“We hope that using Normandy and Minsk mechanisms all parties involved can keep taking effort to attain a deal on comprehensive, well-balanced and long-term political settlement to ensure peaceful, safe and stable development of Ukraine and the whole region with legitimate interests and concerns of all parties involved observed,” Hua Chunying said.